Teaching Assistantships
Preparing for Class
The Graduate School makes financial support available to graduate students through a set number of graduate assistantships (GAs), which are distributed among the various graduate programs at New Mexico State University.
The English department makes every effort to provide eligible graduate students with financial support in the form of teaching assistantships, when students request such consideration in their applications. The English department recommends eligible students for teaching assistantships to the Graduate School; the Graduate School awards available assistantships to eligible students when they are admitted into a specific program of study. In their personal statements and in the supporting materials of their applications, prospective students should offer evidence of their preparation for teaching.
Standard Term of an Assistantship
For MA students in the Literature and Rhetoric and Professional Communication emphases, the standard term established by the Graduate School for assistantship support is four semesters. Assistantships at the MA level are exceptionally competitive. For MFA students in Creative Writing, the standard term is six semesters. For Ph.D. students in the doctoral program in Rhetoric and Professional Communication, the standard term is ten semesters. Applicants to the MA in Creative Writing should not apply with the expectation of receiving a GA.
Applying for an Assistantship after Admission
Students who have not requested or received a teaching assistantship when admitted to a program of study may apply to be considered for assistantship support after admission, and should observe the Spring application deadline (January 15). All applications for assistantship support should include a Statement of Teaching Interest, should be addressed to the Graduate Studies Committee, and should provide whatever additional information and supporting documentation the applicant deems useful to making a strong case for consideration.